Out Of The Closet
by Pursued-Alive
Summary: Sasuke Uchiha, who works at a design and multi-media project company, is a hard, aspiring employee. His colleagues respect him, and his manager and boss hold him in the highest regard. What happens when he suspects his newlywed wife is having an affair? What will his best friend, Kiba Inuzuka, of eight years, say?


_Perish_

_**Naruto is copyright to Masashi Kishimoto, and this is merely a fan-based piece of work.**_

He didn't know of any talents which resided in him, thanks to his bloodline or genetics. His co-workers called him talented, smart, and one of the most aspiring employers of the company. His boss and manager held him both in high regard, and could not find a spot of fault within him, no matter what task he set out to do. Whether it was editing, publishing, or in a meeting with the manager and his client - he was surely fool-proof in every sense of the word. His work was as always, effortless, and his desk was neat and tidy. He spared time to go out with his co-workers for drinking nights, but came home early. He worked over-time for generally most of his work hours, and always managed a sparse smile whenever someone offered to make him a coffee. They knew how hard he was working - he knew it, himself. And it showed. Stress was never uncommon when you were working at a design company - especially not for Sasuke Uchiha. He had plenty of it to deal with, but managed, somehow, to the surprise and awe of his co-workers, to not let it show - albeit marginally. It was a typical Monday morning - an early start at nine o'clock as he went to think up the plan for the design which a client wanted for renovations to their lounge room.

_Perhaps I should text her to tell her that I'll be home late today, again... It looks like I won't make it in time for her to make dinner for me..._

Sighing softly, he wiped his brow and bit his gums. He hated letting her make dinner for him when he wasn't home - it seemed like a waste, and it wasn't fair on her, either. But there was nothing he could do about it - work was work, he knew. He had been working at the company for eight years, so he was more than used to his fair share of it.

_Sorry, Sakura...I'm going to be late again from work. Don't worry about cooking dinner for me - I'll grab something to eat after work. Hope you're okay. I miss you. - Sasuke_

Closing his phone, he leaned backwards in his chair around lunchtime as an insistent throbbing started to pound in his head, making it impossible to think. He stood up and went to the kitchen to grab a drink, before wiping his brow with his sleeve, and chugging down the pain tablet with cold water. "Hey, Uchiha. You alright?" A familiar voice echoed from behind him, and he turned around to see that it was his co-worker, Kiba Inuzuka. He had known Kiba for a long time, and he was the closest person in the office to whom he could count on, epecially when it came to work-related things, and stuff at home.

"Oh, yes, I'm fine, Kiba. Thanks for asking."

"Anything been happening? It's gonna be a long day at work again...I'll probably have to stay for over-time again...can't afford to make this deadline late, eh? It's my fourth day on over-time, and I haven't slept much of a wink at all. Hatake's probably worried," he said, laughing dryly. Kakashi Hatake was their manager, and he wasn't fond of people slacking off during work, but worried when his sub-ordinates had to stay behind too late - that was just his nature. He realised that they had to do it for projects that were overdue or had to be turned in the next morning, but when it was all of the time; he grew concerned.

"Yeah, same for me, as well. As for anything happening, not really... Sakura's well, and things are going fine."

"Ha ha, it's hard being married, huh?" Kiba joked, snorting softly.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "You can't talk, Inuzuka. You haven't even been on the dating scene in months."

"H-hey!" Kiba looked affronted as he flushed lightly and looked away. "That's not very nice..."

"But it's the truth, and it hurts." Grinning, Sasuke turned around and walked towards the door. "Anyway, I'm going to go out to the ramen bar for lunch, so I'll see you-"

"Can I come?"

Sasuke turned around and shrugged his shoulders. Why couldn't he? Besides, a good, friendly conversation was what Sasuke needed at the moment. "I don't see why not. Is anyone else coming?" They walked into the office - but by that time, everyone had left to go and get their own lunches. His shoulders sagged slightly. "I guess not. Well then, come on." Grabbing his wallet, he walked out of the office, before hearing Kiba splutter.

"O-oi!" he called out, running after the tall, broad-shouldered and pale man, panting breathlessly, "you could wait, you know!"

"Ever heard of catching up to people? Saves a lot of effort," Sasuke shot back over his shoulder, smirking as the brunet finally caught up to him. They were silent the whole way, as they arrived at the ramen bar and sat at the stools side by side, and ordered their ramen. Sasuke ordered the best pork miso ramen they had, while Kiba just ordered the day's special. While they were waiting, Kiba struck up conversation. He gave Sasuke a grin, offering his opinion on topics, while the man patiently listened.

"...So that's what I thought, really, man. It's pretty pathetic these days, especially when you're trying to have a stable income. And then they just throw the advertising in your face! It makes me want to stick to Hulu, I swear... hardly any ads...and I could watch Modern Family and Lost until daybreak would cease to exist anymore! Hey...you listening? Hello~? Earth to Sasuke?" Kiba snapped his fingers in front of Sasuke's face as he blinked and shook his head, dazed. He was spacing out, thinking about Sakura and how she seemed a little distant lately at love-making. Not up to discussing _that _with Kiba, he gave a wry smile.

"Ah, yeah, I'm fine. Just...thinking."

Kiba creased his eyebrows and leaned forwards on his elbows, just as their ramen was made, hot and fresh in front of them. "Anything I can help you with?"

Sasuke stared into Kiba's black eyes - they were as sincere as they had always been. He always knew when something was wrong with Sasuke, and always offered to cheer him up. "I'm just worried...about...Sakura."

"Has something happened?" Kiba asked, punching his shoulder lightly as he gave a laugh, but it didn't sound like a genuine laugh - strained. "Ha ha, have you had a lover's tiff? You've only been married for three months, y'know. Aren't newlyweds supposed to feel...I don't know...bliss, and all that stuff? Isn't it common to have small fights?"

"I guess..." Sasuke shrugged his shoulders half-heartedly, not really caring on the matter. Kiba sensed his apathy and began to ate his noodles, staring at Sasuke. No wonder he was with one of the richest girls in the neighbourhood - he was a looker. With pale cheekbones, almond-shaped eyes and a clear complexion, it was no wonder that he had managed to hook Sakura. Through an arranged marriage, no less, but...he was lucky! Most of the girls Kiba had dated had sensed something in him and just dumped him after the first date. Maybe it was the way he acted. Being gay and all - that was probably it. Yeah, that was it. But it never seemed to bother Sasuke - in fact, he swore it made it easier for the black-haired man to open up to him. Somehow, anyway. "But it just seems like...I don't know..." he let out an aggravated sigh and all of a sudden, didn't feel hungry. "Like she's being distant with me...or something like that."

Kiba frowned. "Distant, huh? I don't know why she'd be distant... Have you talked with her at all about it? Maybe something happened at work...?"

"Maybe. I'm probably getting ahead of myself, but...I think she's having an affair."

Kiba dropped his chopsticks on the counter and widened his eyes in shock. "A...an affair?! Are you sure she's having an affair, Sasuke? I mean, you're not jumping to conclusions, are you?"

"I don't know. Argh, Kiba, that's the thing... I just have this _feeling, _you know? Like it's a niggling little thought in the back of my head... I thought I saw her kissing a man on the street, once...but I was tipsy from when we went out drinking, and could've imagined it... I don't know anymore... I want to make it work...for our parents...but if she's having an affair, I don't know what I can do... My trust is just..."

Kiba patted him on the back. "I know, I know. Don't worry, Sasuke. Maybe she's not cheating. But you'll have to keep tabs on her if that's the case. If it comes down to it...you'll have to ask her straightforwardly as to where she's been, but just tell her you're concerned. She might be suspicious, but...you have a right to know."

"Yeah..."

Kiba gave a smile and Sasuke smiled slightly in return, though it wavered.

"Why don't you and I go drinking tonight, hmm? It always solves my woes!"

"But you're woes are of a far lesser extent than mine are," Sasuke pointed out, as Kiba narrowed his eyes.

"Shut up. Let's just have fun, okay?" Kiba and Sasuke finished their ramen by the time it was nine o'clock, and they walked to the station. It started raining, and Kiba cursed. "Shit! Just what we need!" he moaned, running through the rain with Sasuke as they went under shelter - eves of a local shop. "Okay, I think we're safe now. Damnit, why the hell didn't I bring a damn umbrella? Now, of all times!"

"Don't worry about it. We'll just wait until the rain goes down." A few minutes later, the rain lessened, and they stepped out from the eves, feeling the rain hit their shirts, and sliding down their faces. Sasuke made a move to walk, but Kiba gripped his wrist, tugging on it. "What-" Kiba looked serious, and Sasuke creased his eyebrows, confused. "Kiba? What's going on? Do you not feel well?"

"No, it's not that...it's just that..."

"What? Spit it out, will you?"

The brunette sighed. _Here we go. Either I'm going to get rejected, or... _"It's just that, well...Sasuke...uh...I like you."

Sasuke stopped and stared.

Well, that had been an unwelcome turn of events. First his wife possibly cheating on him, and now this? How could it get any worse than this? Kiba sighed and scratched the back of his head. At least he had finally come out of the closet. And confessed. To Sasuke.


End file.
